People were made to interact

We were made to interact.
From a spiritual stand point, we were made to interact. Christians will say to you that God saw how important it was for man to interact not just with animals and plants but with his equals- hence the reason for Eve and procreation.

Why do most people find it very difficult to sit by someone for a long period and don't say something to that person. Those who accomplish it, do so with great discomfort. Why people end up online chatting with hundreds of people they dont have a clue about? No man is an island. We some times need direction, affection, medical attention, companion. Interaction brings us closer together and helps us support each other while at the same time accomplishing a lot. Scheinkman(2004) says that social interaction is useful for resolving issues and achieving goals.

If one tries to imagine a world where there is little or no interaction between the people, one will discover a world that is truly unbalance and boring. Iacoboni et al (2003) believes that interaction builds this community spirit in people and it helps people identify the line of authority in a system.

Connectivism

I am not sure that the network has changed the way I learn. What has happened is that it has revolutionized the way I access information. The network has shown that my resource base has also expanded as I am connected to many more people and institutions, many of which are in the virtual world. The way my work is being assessed has changed in some respects since my participation in discussions, blogs and other online activities are graded and a mark awarded to me. This new network has put me in contact with many scholars and professionals whose input gives credibility to my work. The network also shows that my access to information is not hindered by geograhic location nor time zone. I have a good contingency system in place in terms of my ICT support system and my financial connection is also good.

The Ipod is my favorite digital tool. It works for me as a mobile secretary since it always keeps me in touch with my courses and learning community. The beauty of the Ipod is that I am not limited to space and time. I am in touch with the university anywhere and all the time. Another advantage of the ipod is that it not cumbersome and it is very light. When I need to relax I can play music on it and if I need to revise I can also listen to my lectures on it. Great tool!

I gain knowledge mainly by posting my questions on discussion for a, blogs, to my colleagues in the learning community, my instructors and the printed pages.

Mind Map of Lawrence Cato